arnold



(No Model.)

WITNESSES 2Sheets-Sheet 1. G. R. ARNOLD.

TRIGYOLE.

Patented May 3, I892.

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G. B. ARNOLD. TRIGYGLE No. 474,279. Patented May 3, 1892.

I I\ I .I I I I I III IIIIII' III I I I III I I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE R. ARNOLD, OF W'ELLSVILLE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HELEN M. ARNOLD, OF SAME PLACE.

TRICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 474,279, dated May 3, 1892.

Application filed July 23, 1890. Renewed March 14, 1892. Serial No. 424,837. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE R. ARNOLD, of WVellsville, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Tricycle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved tricycle which is simple and durable in construction, can be readily propelled byboth hands and feet, and steered and braked either by hand or foot.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement with parts in section. Fig.2 is a vertical section of the improvement on the line 00 0c of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 3 y of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a plan view of part of the main frame and the hollow post shown in section. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the pitman with parts in section, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of part of the improvement.

The improved tricycle is provided with a suitably-constructed frame A, mounted at its rear end on the axle 13, carrying the rear drive-wheels C, while the front end of the main frame A is supported on a steering or guide wheel D. On the axle B is secured a sprocket-wheel E, over which passes a sprocket-chain E, also passing over a sprocket-wheel E secured on a short shaft F, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in one side of the main frame A.

On the inner end of the short shaft F is formed or secured a crank-arm F, pivotally connected by a pitman G with an arm 11, formed on a clamping-collar H, adapted to be secured on the lower end of a hollow post I, having transversely-extending trunnious I, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the main frame A, as is plainly shown in Fig. 4. The clamping-collar H is preferably clamped by means of a set-screw on the post I, and from the sides of the said clamping-collar extend outward and downward arms H adapted to be engaged by the feet of the operator seated on the seat A, arranged on the main frame A above and in front of the axle B.

In the post I is mounted to turn a sleeve J, provided with a collar J resting on the upper edge of the post I, and permitting the said sleeve to turn. From the sides of the latter extend downwardly and outwardly arms J connected with the steering-wheel D in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

In the sleeve J is held vertically adjustable apost K, carrying on its upper end handles K, extending transversely and adapted to be taken hold of by the hands of the operator seated on the seat A. The post K is held in place on the sleeve J by means of a lever L, fulcrumed in the post and provided on its lower end with a projection L, adapted to engage one of a series of vertically-arranged apertures J formed in the sleeve J. (See Fig. 3.

The upper end of the lever L is provided with a handle L extending outwardly under one of the handles K, so as to be within convenient reach of the operator to permit the latter to raise or lower the post K in the sleeve J, as desired. Ordinarily the post K is locked in place on the sleeve J, so that the operator can either turn the said sleeve whenever desired or can move the post K forward and backward, the trunnions I being the fulcrum.

The arms J 2 previously mentioned are pivotally connected by pitmen- N with an arm 0, secured on the upper end of a shaft P, mounted to turn in suitable bearings A arranged on the front end of the main frame A. On this vertically-arranged shaft P is secured the forked arm P, in which the guide or steering wheel D is journaled. On the lower end of this shaft P is secured an arm Q, pivotally connected by alink Q with a lever Q arranged in an upright position and fulcrumed on one side of the main frame A, so that the upper end of the said lever is within convenient reach of the operator seated on the seat A. On the other side of the main frame A is arranged a similar lever B, provided with a transversely-extending arm R, carrying a brake-shoe for braking one of the rear Wheels C. The lever R is also pivotally connected with a bar R mounted to slide longitudinally in suitable bearings on one side of the main frameA. (See Fig. 1.) Near the front end of the said bar R is arranged an inwardly-extending foot-piece R adapted to be engaged by one of the operators feet in order to manipulate the brake-arm R in order to brake the rear wheel C by the operators foot whenever desired.

The speed of the tricycle maybe increased by changing the relative sizes of the sprocket wheels E and E As shown in Fig. 1, an additional set of sprocket-wheels E and E may be secured on the axle E and the shaft F, respectively, the sprocket-wheel E being about in proportion to the sprocket-wheel E while the sprocket-wheel E is the same size as the sprocket-wheel E so that the sprocket-chain E can be used on either set of the sprocketwheels to change the speed of the tricycle whenever desired.

The operation is as follows: The operator seats himself on the seat A. He places his feet on the foot-pieces II and the hands on the handles K. By now pressing the footpieces I1 forward with his feet and drawing rearward on the handles K the hollow post I swings on its trunnions I ,,so that the arm H swings with it, and by the connection of the pitman G with the crank-arm F the shaft F is turned. The rotary motion of the shaft F is transmitted by the sets of sprocketwheeis and the sprocket-chain E to the axle B, whereby the wheels 0 are turned and the tricycle propelled forward. WVhen the operator desires to steer the wheel D, he may accomplish this by turning the post K by the hands operating on the handles K, so that the arms J the pitmen N, and the arm 0 cause a turning of the shaft. P, whereby the wheel D is turned to the right or left and the direction of the tricycle changed. Instead of steering the wheel D by the hands from the post K the operator may manipulate the lever Q by the left hand, whereby the shaft. P is also turned, changing the position of the guide-wheel D. The braking of the righthand wheel 0 will be accomplished by the operator manipulating the lever R by one hand or by manipulating with the right foot the bar R so that the brake-shoe is applied on the right-hand drive-wheel 0.

Instead of connecting the short shaft F with the hollow post I by crank and pitman, as described, a ratchet mechanism such as shown in Fig. 6 may be substituted. The shaft F for this purpose carries a. ratchetwheel F engaged on opposite sides by two pawls G G pivotally connected with the said wheel by suitable springs. In this device a dead-center is avoided. Thus it will be seen that the tricycle is readily propelled by both hands and feet and can be steered and braked witheither hand or foot.

Having thus fully described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. In a tricycle, the combination, with a tubular rocking post connected with the drive-wheels, of an extensible post turning 1n the tubular post, connected with the steeringwheel to operate it, and provided with operating-handles for the twofold purpose of steering and imparting a rocking motion to the tubularshaft, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tricycle, the rocking hollow post having trunnions and connected with the drive-wheels, in combination with a sleeve free to rotate-in the said post, provided with a vertical series of apertures,and havlng two arms projecting from its sides downward to points in line with said trunnions, pitmen connecting the lower ends of said arms with the steering-bar, and a handle-post vertically movable in said sleeve and provided with a spring-actuated locking-lever having a handle at its upper end adjacent to one of the posthandles and a projection at its lower end. to enter. any one of the sleeve-apertures.

3. In a tricycle, the combination, with a hollow post mounted, to swing, of a sleeve mounted to turn in the said hollow post and connected with the steering-wheel to operate it and a second post held vertically adjustable in the said sleeve, adapted to turn it, and provided with handles whereby the posts may be rocked or the sleeve turned to guide the steering-wheel,- substantially as shown and described.

4. In a tricycle, the combination, with a hollow post mounted to swing, of a sleeve mounted to turn in the said hollow postand connected with the steering-wheel, a second post held vertically adjustable in the said sleeve, adapted to turn it, and provided with handles, and means, substantially as shown and described, for connecting the said sleeve with the steering-wheel, as set forth.

5. In a tricycle, the combination, with the main frame, an axle journaled in the said frame and carrying driving-wheels, and; a guide-wheel held in the said frame, of a shaft mounted to turn in the said main frame and adapted to rotate the said main axle, a crankarm held on the said shaft, a pitman pivotally connected with the said crank-arm, a post having trunnions journaled in the said main frame, the said post being connected at its lower end with the said pitman, a sleeve turning in and rocking with the hollow post, operating connections between the sleeve and the guide-wheel, and means, substantially as shown and described, for swinging the said post forward and backward by hand and foot, jsubstantially as set forth. post I and held in contact with the ratchet- 6. In a tricycle, the combination, with the jmain frame, an axle journaled in the said frame and carrying driving-wheels, and a gguide-wheel held in the said frame, of a shaft mounted to turn in the said main frame and adapted to rotate the said main axle, a crankarm held on the said shaft, a pitman pivotally connected with the said crank-arm, a post having trunnions journaled in the said main frame, the said post being connected at its lower end with the said pitman foot-pieces projecting from the lower end of the said post, a sleeve mounted to turn in the said post and connected with the said steeringwheel to steer the latter, and a vertically-adjustable post held in the said sleeve and provided with handles for either imparting swinging motion to the said first-named post or for turning the said sleeve to actuate the guide-wheel, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a tricycle, the combination, with a I5 scribed.

CLARENCE R. ARNOLD.

Witnesses:

HOMER C. WELLs, JAMES INNES MONROE. 

